


Party

by Diary



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: Bechdel Test Fail, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Established Austin/Justin Suarez, Established Hilda Suarez/Bobby Talerico, Established Relationship, Family, Friendship/Love, Gen, Interracial Relationship, Late Night Conversations, Multi, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 13:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6118081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Bobby, make an exception,” Hilda orders. “It’s Austin’s birthday, and he wants all of us there.” Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Party

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Ugly Betty.

“What time should we leave for the party?”

“Sorry, kid,” Bobby says. “I need to work that night, but you and your mom can figure out the time.”

“But it’s Austin’s birthday!”

“Bobby, make an exception,” Hilda orders. “It’s Austin’s birthday, and he wants all of us there.”

He kisses her on the forehead. “I’m sorry, but we’re short at the shop and have a special delivery coming in."

They both stare.

"Look, I got him that present.”

With a sigh, Justin storms off.

Hilda frowns. “Well, I hope you’re happy. They were both looking forward to it.”

“The party isn’t cancelled,” he points out. “They’re sixteen- or, sixteen and seventeen, anyways. They’re just going to ignore you, Ignacio, and Samuel while they do whatever with Lily and the others.”

“That isn’t the point, Bobby!”

His phone dings, and he says, “We’ll talk, later. “’m late. Love you.”

She kisses him. “Love you, too. But this isn’t over. I will be over at lunch!”

…

“So, Bobby’s not coming to the party,” Justin glumly tells Austin.

Closing his locker, Austin gives him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. He’s sending a present. I’m going to make sure you still have a blast.”

Austin grins. “Thanks." Leaning over, he gives Justin a quick kiss. “But I’m still sorry. For you.”

“As long as you have an amazing party, that’s all that matters,” Justin replies. They link hands, and he continues, “We’re going to come over at…”

…

Bobby finds Austin reading a magazine in the lobby.

“Austin? What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Justin?”

“Everything’s fine,” Austin assures him. “I just need to talk to you.”

“Now? Don’t you have school?”

“I’m really hoping my birthday being on Sunday will gain me some mercy for skipping,” Austin admits.

Bobby gestures to his office. “Come in, but know that I’m calling your dad once we’re done talking.”  

“Fair enough,” Austin agrees.

Once the door’s closed, Austin takes a deep breath. “Justin never talks about his dad. On his- his dad’s birthday, he’ll go to his grave. I only know what happened because Justin blurted it out to me and Lily during a game of truth-or-dare. But yeah, Justin never talks about him. He talks about you all the time. About what a cool stepdad you are, and how lucky he is you married Aunt Hilda, and how he’s glad he isn’t going to have worry so much about her and Ignacio when he goes off to college. Every time you two do stuff together, I hear about it.”

Bobby opens his mouth, but Austin continues, “And I understand you have to work. My dad has to work a lot, too. It’s just- no offence, Bobby, but if you don’t come to my party, it’s not really going to affect me. I’ll be a little bummed, but I’ll still have a good time. It’ll affect Justin, though. For some reason, you not coming is big to him.”

He pauses. “Assuming I still have a party after this.”

“You’ll still have a party,” Bobby promises. “I’ll make sure of it.” Sitting down, he asks, “So, why aren’t I hearing this from Justin?”

Austin shrugs. “I don’t think he really understands himself.”

“Okay. Then, why isn’t he hearing it?”

“Even if I told him, do you really think I could get him to talk to you about it?”

“Fair point,” Bobby concedes.

…

“Oh my God, I can’t believe my boyfriend skipped school and didn’t take me!”

“Excuse me,” Hilda demands.

“I mean, I can’t believe Austin skipped school." Frowning, he adds, "Which, I really can’t. He’s always gotten annoyed whenever you let me skip because Officer Fitzgerald absolutely won’t let him, ever.”

“Right,” Bobby says. “Listen, buddy, I talked to my mom and dad, and I’m going to be at Austin’s party this Sunday.”

“Awesome.” Justin fishes his phone out. “I’ll see if Officer Fitzgerald will give Austin the message.”

Hilda kisses him. “Thank you. This means a lot to both of them. What made you change your mind?”

“Your visit earlier,” he jokes.

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. Just because you distracted me today, don’t think I wouldn’t be back tomorrow and on Saturday, if I had to.”

He grins, and she rolls her eyes again.

…

Watching Justin and the others dance around the room, he asks Samuel, “Your boy still grounded?”

“Not that it’s doing much good,” Samuel answers. “This is one of those, ‘I’ll take the punishment, but I still believe I did the right thing, and my mind won’t be changing,’ situations.”

“Not for nothing, but even though he could have gone about it better, I agree with him.”

“Yeah,” Samuel sighs. “So do I.”

“Bobby, watch this,” Justin calls.

They turn their attention back to the party.

…

After the party, Justin is near catatonic.

Dragging him, Bobby grunts, “Uh, come on, J. I don’t get it. Some nights, you stay up ‘til three, but a few hours of sugar binging, and you’re almost in a coma.”

Hilda shuts the car doors, and Ignacio opens the front door.

“Never tha’ much,” Justin mutters.

“Right. Well, I’m not dragging you upstairs.”

“’kay,” Justin agrees.

He gets Justin settled on the couch. “I’m going to go get some stuff from your room.”

Justin murmurs something unintelligible.

Upstairs, Bobby gets Justin’s favourite pillow, a top sheet, and a bottle of water from the mini-fridge.

After Justin’s properly covered, Bobby turns on the TV, selects an episode Justin loves from the DVR, and turns off the lights. Kissing his forehead, he says, “Night, Justin.”

“’anks, Dad,” Justin mumbles.

Bobby pauses for a long moment before going to find Hilda.

He runs into Ignacio first.

“Justin- I think he just called me ‘Dad’.”

Ignacio shrugs. “You’re more of one than Santos ever was, you’re married to his mother, and you promised the four of us you’d always be there for each of us.”

Considering it, Bobby nods. “Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, Ignacio. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, mijo.”


End file.
